Dec. 18 District News

Supporting children and teens during holiday season

We are including a resource from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: This guide has useful information for providing support to students and families as we head into winter break during this unusual year with additional stressors.

Beginning in January, we will have a partnership with Trillium Family Services who will be working with the high school.

ODE releases mental health toolkit

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) released a new mental health toolkit and launched new mental health and well-being pages on their website. Although this is written for school staff, there are also some great resources and content for parents who are facilitating learning at home and are concerned about mental health.

For more COVID-19 mental health resources, click here.

Thank you for participating in ThoughtExchange

Thoughts received from grade school parents, high school parents and RSD staff will help us reflect and work on improvements and areas to support. We look forward to sharing student successes and common themes to focus on in the new year. We are grateful the Multnomah County Education Service District’s SIA Plan was able to support our license with ThoughtExchange.

Cozy up with a great book

Please join us in reading "Why We Act" by Catherine A. Sanderson. Below are discussion questions for Part 1: Preface and Chapters 1-2. We invite you to read the first 43 pages over vacation and think through or talk through the discussion questions with a fellow community member. These discussion questions are credited to MESD’s Bars to Bridges and School Improvement programs. Look for more opportunities to engage in conversation of "Why We Act" in the new year.

The Myth of Monsters: Why do we create monsters in our minds after something terrible has happened?

Good and Bad People: “The question of why some people act badly and others don’t is not really about good and bad people” (pg. 16). Do you agree or disagree with this assertion? Why/why not?

Gradual Escalation: When does a little become too much?

Bystander Effect: Describe a time when you couldn’t decide whether or not to call for help or act. Were you alone or with others? Did people you know see it? What was the outcome or consequence?

Social Loafing: “The combined team performance was significantly worse than the performance of participants who were working alone” (pg. 33). How does this statement affirm or contradict your experience? How might this impact how you teach or lead?

Anonymity: Have you ever not done something or done something more fervently or “out of character” when anonymity was guaranteed? Why did the anonymity matter?

Responsibility: Should it matter whether your actions matter? Why/why not?

Responsibility: Have you experienced an incident similar to the one the author references when the professor from New York took the backseat to the student from California? How did you or others around you respond?

Connection: How can shared identities or lack of commonality impact decisions to act? What are some ways shared identity has influenced your decisions to act?

Enjoy Your Winter Break

Remember, this year's Winter Break is Dec. 21-Jan. 1. We'll see you back in Comprehensive Distance Learning on Monday, Jan. 4. While we cannot be together in person at this time, we continue to review options and plan for a safe and healthy return. Perhaps the quote below is more fitting than ever.

“Every winter has its spring.” H. Tuttle

Season's greetings, and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Calendar

Monday, Dec. 21 - Friday, Jan. 1 - Winter Break
Monday, Jan. 11 - School Board Work Study from 4:30-6 p.m. via GTW
Monday, Jan. 18 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)
Monday Jan. 25 - Board Work Study from 4:30-6 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 25 - Board Meeting from 6-8 p.m.